Post-treatment Depression Research Articles

Effects of a partnership-based, needs-tailored self-management support intervention for post-treatment breast cancer survivors: A randomized controlled trial.

To examine the effectiveness of partnErship-based, needs-tailored self-Management support Program fOr Women with breast cancER (EMPOWER), a partnership-based, needs-tailored, self-management (SM) support intervention designed to empower post-treatment breast cancer survivors (BCSs) and ultimately improve their health outcomes. This multi-center, two-armed, randomized controlled trial comprised 94 female BCSs who had completed primary cancer treatment in South Korea. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to the intervention group or the wait-list control group. The intervention group received a 7-week EMPOWER intervention via telephone counseling. The primary outcome was empowerment. Secondary outcomes included self-efficacy for post-treatment SM behaviors, mental adjustment, anxiety, depression, and health-related quality of life. Data were collected via a self-reported questionnaire at baseline (T0) and at 8 (T1) and 20weeks (T2) of follow-up. Linear mixed models were used to assess group differences over time. Effective sizes were calculated using Cohen's d. Retention rates were excellent (95.7% at T1; 94.7% at T2). Linear mixed model analyses revealed that the EMPOWER group showed significantly improved empowerment (mean difference 2.24, 95% CI=0.18 to 4.29; p=0.016) and general health perception (mean difference 3.68, 95% CI=0.67 to 6.72; p=0.037) compared with the control group. Time point analysis showed that several secondary outcomes significantly improved at T1, but the effects were not sustained. EMPOWER was effective in improving empowerment and general health perception among post-treatment BCS. Further studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of the EMPOWER intervention in other cancer populations.

Development of college student focused care in a psychiatric hospital: Preliminary clinical outcomes and future directions

Objective The unique features of college experience make it essential to address escalating mental-health challenges beyond college campuses. In 2010, we launched college-student focused (CSF) care nested within an adult day treatment program in a psychiatric hospital. The CSF care consists of student group therapies, individual consultation services for hospital staff and student-patients, and student-focused mental health guides for patients and families. This study preliminarily examined the clinical impact of CSF care on post-treatment symptoms reduction. Participants and Methods In 235 college student-patients admitted to the day program between 2011 July to 2013 January, we assessed the targeted outcomes of the CSF care, using a newly developed CSF questionnaire. Results Higher levels of CSF care-related outcomes predicted reduced post-treatment depression and anxiety, even after controlling for baseline clinical symptoms and post-treatment skills usage. Conclusions These results highlighted the benefits and need for CSF care on a healthcare system level.

Cognitive restructuring, behavioral activation and cognitive-behavioral therapy in the treatment of adult depression: A network meta-analysis.

To examine if cognitive restructuring (CR), behavioral activation (BA), and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) result in differential effects in the treatment of adult depression. We extracted randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from a database updated yearly from PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, and Cochrane Library. Network and pairwise meta-analyses were conducted to investigate the effects of CR, BA, and CBT delivered in a face-to-face individual format, compared with waiting list (WL) and care-as-usual (CAU), on adult depression. The primary outcome was a standardized mean difference (SMD) in posttreatment depression severity. Tolerability of treatments and depression severity at follow-up were also assessed. A total of 45 studies with 3,382 participants were included. There was no evidence of a difference in effectiveness between CR, BA, and CBT. All three interventions were superior to CAU; SMD 0.57, 95% confidence interval [CI 0.08-1.07]; 0.52 [0.34-0.71]; 0.44 [0.28-0.60], respectively and WL 1.20 [0.69-1.70]; 1.15 [0.90-1.40]; 1.07 [0.87-1.26]. No difference in tolerability was found (risk ratio [RR] vs. CAU: 1.01 [0.04-22.81], 0.84 [0.63-1.11], and 0.96 [0.76-1.21], respectively). Metaregression and sensitivity analyses did not produce material differences. Results suggest that CR or BA alone and their combination (CBT) may be effective interventions in comparison to WL and CAU in the treatment of adult depression. There was no evidence suggesting differences in effectiveness among the three treatments. More research is needed to derive conclusions about the performance of CR. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Clinical Analysis of Gemcitabine Combined with Tegafur Chemotherapy after Radical Surgery on Pancreatic Cancer

Objective: To study and analyze the clinical efficacy of gemcitabine combined with Tegafur chemotherapy after radical resection of pancreatic cancer. Methods: The subjects of the study were 200 patients who were admitted to the hospital from January 2018 to February 2021 requiring chemotherapy after radical resection of pancreatic cancer. According to the different treatment methods, they were divided into a experimental group (gemcitabine combined with Tegafur chemotherapy) and a control group (single gemcitabine chemotherapy), and the treatment efficacy of the two groups of patients was observed and compared. Results: Compared with the control group, patients in the experimental group had significantly better treatment efficacy, quality of life scores and post-treatment anxiety and depression scores. The difference between the groups was significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: Gemcitabine combined with Tegafur chemotherapy for patients requiring chemotherapy after radical resection of pancreatic cancer can significantly improve the treatment efficacy for the disease, improve the patient's quality of life, and ensure that the patient's emotional state during treatment is more positive.

A Preliminary Test of the Efficacy of Brief Self-Administered Behavioral Interventions for Rumination.

Rumination is theorized to be a cognitive avoidance process that is implicated in several manifestations of psychopathology. Few interventions directly target rumination as a core process maintaining emotional disorder symptoms. This pilot study compared the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of self-directed behavioral approaches for reducing rumination. Participants (N = 60) with elevations in rumination were randomized to 3 weeks of self-directed interventions: (a) scheduled rumination time; (b) a strategy combining mindfulness, shaping, and disengagement strategies; or (c) self-monitoring control. Both active treatment conditions outperformed self-monitoring control on post-treatment depression scores. Scheduled rumination time significantly outperformed the other two conditions on measures of rumination and worry. No between-group differences emerged on the secondary outcome (i.e., anxiety symptoms). Brief, self-directed, behavioral interventions targeting rumination are feasible and demonstrate preliminary efficacy. Scheduled rumination time shows moderate to large effects. The use of a small, non-treatment seeking sample was the primary limitation.

Analysis on the Clinical Therapeutic Effect of Hepatic Artery Chemoembolization in the Treatment of Advanced Liver Cancer

Objective: To study and analyze the clinical efficacy of gemcitabine combined with Tegafur chemotherapy after radical resection of pancreatic cancer. Methods: The subjects of the study were 200 patients who were admitted to the hospital from January 2018 to February 2021 requiring chemotherapy after radical resection of pancreatic cancer. According to the different treatment methods, they were divided into a experimental group (gemcitabine combined with Tegafur chemotherapy) and a control group (single gemcitabine chemotherapy), and the treatment efficacy of the two groups of patients was observed and compared. Results: Compared with the control group, patients in the experimental group had significantly better treatment efficacy, quality of life scores and post-treatment anxiety and depression scores. The difference between the groups was significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: Gemcitabine combined with Tegafur chemotherapy for patients requiring chemotherapy after radical resection of pancreatic cancer can significantly improve the treatment efficacy for the disease, improve the patient's quality of life, and ensure that the patient's emotional state during treatment is more positive.

Elevated salivary cortisol predicts response to adjunctive immune modulation in treatment-resistant bipolar depression

• Adjunctive CBX treatment significantly improved response and remission rates in TRBDD. • Baseline high salivary cortisol independently predicted HAMD17 and MADRS scores at posttreatment. • Use of multivariate linear regression models can be of predictive value of end of treatment response. • A high HPA-axis setpoint at baseline may predict treatment response. Adjunctive inflammatory treatments improve response and remission rates in treatment-resistant bipolar depression (TRBDD), but underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Given the association between hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation and treatment-resistant depression, we investigated the pre-treatment HPA-axis profile in relation to treatment response. This is a secondary analysis of 31 TRBDD patients with moderately severe depression scores as assessed with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 17 (HAMD17), who were randomized to receive either escitalopram (ESC) (10–40 mg daily) + celecoxib (CBX) (200 mg twice daily), or ESC (10–40 mg daily) + placebo (PBO) (twice daily). Salivary cortisol was measured at baseline. A multivariate linear regression model was applied to evaluate whether depression scores at Week 8 were related to CBX and baseline salivary cortisol, adjusting for sex, age, BMI, and baseline depression scores. We utilized the HAMD17 and Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). Coefficient of determination (R 2 ) for week 8 MADRS and HAMD17 scores were 0.907 and 0.624 (both p -value <0.001), respectively. Baseline salivary cortisol at 30 min after awakening (β=-0.374, p- value=0.004), before lunch (β=-1.764, p- value=0.002), and cortisol-awakening response (β=0.692, p- value=0.003) were significantly anticorrelated with MADRS at posttreatment. Similarly, baseline salivary cortisol before lunch (β=-0.665, p- value=0.041), and 3:00PM (β=-0.434, p- value=0.061) was significantly anticorrelated with HAMD17 at posttreatment. Both analyses were adjusted for sex, age, and BMI. / * Increased salivary cortisol levels at baseline diurnal timepoints independently predicted posttreatment depression scores in TRBDD patients treated with either with antidepressant monotherapy or combined CBX therapy.

Light therapy for seasonal affective disorder in visual impairment and blindness – a pilot study

Seasonal and non-seasonal depression are prevalent conditions in visual impairment (VI). We assessed the effects and side effects of light therapy in persons with severe VI/blindness who experienced recurrent depressive symptoms in winter corresponding to seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or subsyndromal SAD (sSAD). We included 18 persons (11 with severe VI, 3 with light perception and 4 with no light perception) who met screening criteria for sSAD/SAD in a single-arm, assessor-blinded trial of 6 weeks light therapy. In the 12 persons who completed the 6 weeks of treatment, the post-treatment depression score was reduced (p < 0.001), and subjective wellbeing (p = 0.01) and sleep quality were improved (p = 0.03). In 6/12 participants (50%), the post-treatment depression score was below the cut-off set for remission. In four participants with VI, side effects (glare or transiently altered visual function) led to dropout or exclusion. Light therapy was associated with a reduction in depressive symptoms in persons with severe VI/blindness. Eye safety remains a concern in persons with residual sight.

Posttreatment Anxiety, Depression, Sleep Disorders, and Associated Factors in Women Who Survive Breast Cancer

Objective:Breast Cancer Survivors (BCSs) experience negative effects on their physical and mental health, including sleep disorders, after the completion of treatment and over the whole spectrum of survival. The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of posttreatment anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders exhibited by women who have survived breast cancer.Methods:A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with a population of 170 BCSs, who were monitored as outpatients by two surgical departments of a central Athens hospital for between one and five–5 years after completing their therapy. The data were collected between November 2019 and March 2020 and included demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as the Athens Insomnia Scale to measure sleep disorders and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale to assess the incidence of mental disorders.Results:The majority of the patients were aged 61–70 years (41.4%), married (56.9%), with two children (56.3%), and graduates of higher education (41.8%). Of the total population, 53.5% had sleep disorders, 29.4% anxiety, and 18.2% depression. Insomnia had a moderately positive correlation with both anxiety and depression (r = 0.598, P < 0.001 and r = 0.584, P < 0.001, respectively), while a strongly positive correlation was found between depression and anxiety (r = 0.683, P < 0.001). Sleep disorders were associated with factors such as profession (P < 0.001), income (P = 0.01), the number of minor children (P = 0.021), and the number of pathological problems (P = 0.003); anxiety was related to the number of minor children (P = 0.008) and the use of drug therapy to treat mental disorders (P = 0.038); while for depression, the relevant factors were the duration of treatment (P = 0.029), the number of minor children (P < 0.001), the use of medication for treatment of mental disorders (P = 0.008), and sleep disorders (P = 0.003).Conclusions:Women who have survived breast cancer in Greece show a high rate of anxiety and depression related to the disease, as well as sleep problems that are partly associated with their psychological status, but are also affected by parameters such as income, type of profession, and the presence of minor children in the household.

Personality Disorders and Their Relation to Treatment Outcomes in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BackgroundPrevious reviews indicate that depressed patients with a comorbid personality disorder (PD) tend to benefit less from psychotherapies for depression and thus personality pathology needs to be the primary focus of treatment. This review specifically focused on studies of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for depression examining the influence of comorbid PD on post-treatment depression outcomes.MethodsThis was a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies identified through PubMed, PsychINFO, Web of Science, and Scopus. A review protocol was pre-registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42019128590).ResultsEleven eligible studies (N = 769) were included in a narrative synthesis, and ten (N = 690) provided sufficient data for inclusion in random effects meta-analysis. All studies were rated as having “low” or “moderate” risk of bias and there was no significant evidence of publication bias. A small pooled effect size indicated that patients with PD had marginally higher depression severity after CBT compared to patients without PD (g = 0.26, [95% CI: 0.10, 0.43], p = .002), but the effect was not significant in controlled trials (p = .075), studies with low risk of bias (p = .107) and studies that adjusted for intake severity (p = .827). Furthermore, PD cases showed symptomatic improvements across studies, particularly those with longer treatment durations (16–20 sessions).ConclusionsThe apparent effect of PD on depression outcomes is likely explained by higher intake severity rather than treatment resistance. Excluding these patients from evidence-based care for depression is unjustified, and adequately lengthy CBT should be routinely offered.

Listening Visits for maternal depression: a meta-analysis.

Listening Visits are a non-directive counseling intervention delivered by nurses to depressed postpartum women. In 2007, Listening Visits were listed as a recommended treatment in British national guidelines. They were removed from the guideline update, due to the small effect size drawn from a meta-analysis of five clinical trials with depressed and non-depressed postpartum women. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to provide an estimate of the true population effect of Listening Visits as a treatment for maternal depression compared to control conditions. A meta-analytic review was conducted of studies published before October 2020. Inclusion criteria required that the study was a pragmatic or randomized trial of Listening Visits delivered by non-mental health specialists to mothers with elevated symptoms of maternal depression. Post-treatment depression rates for the treatment and control groups were extracted from eligible studies. Six studies met eligibility criteria which included 703 participants. Analyses of observed effect sizes corrected for study artifacts revealed an estimate of 0.66 (95% CI: 0.32, 0.99) with high heterogeneity (Q = 17.95, p = 0.003, I2 = 72.14). After removing outliers and addressing heterogeneity across observed effect sizes, the meta-analytic estimate across four methodologically similar studies and 651 participants was 0.43 (95% CI: 0.24, 0.62). The moderate effect size for Listening Visits, considered together with the advantages afforded by how, where, and who provides this treatment, supports Listening Visits as a first-line intervention in a stepped care approach for mothers with mild to moderately severe depression symptoms.

Effect of a lay counselor-delivered integrated maternal mental health and early childhood development group-based intervention in Northern Ghana: a cluster-randomized controlled trial.

Caregiver mental health is linked to early childhood development, yet more robust evidence of community-based interventions to prevent maternal depression and optimize socio-emotional development of young children is needed. Objectives of this cluster-randomized controlled trial (cRCT), based in Northern Ghana, are to assess the impact of the lay counselor-delivered, group-based Integrated Mothers and Babies Course and Early Childhood Development (iMBC/ECD) program on (1) the mental health of mothers of children under age 2; and (2) the socio-emotional development of their children. This cRCT randomized 32 women's groups - 16 received iMBC/ECD content (intervention) and 16 received general health education content (control). Surveys were administered at baseline, immediate post-intervention, and 8-month post-intervention. The primary outcome was maternal depression [Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)], and the secondary outcome was child's socio-emotional development [Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social Emotional (ASQ:SE-2)]. Qualitative interviews with 33 stakeholders were also conducted. In total, 374 participants were enrolled at baseline while pregnant with the index child, 19% endorsing moderate/severe depression. Of these, 266 (71.1%) completed the 8-month post-intervention survey (~19 months post-baseline). There were no significant effects of iMBC/ECD on PHQ-9 and ASQ:SE-2 scores. However, results favored the intervention arm in most cases. iMBC participants were highly satisfied with the program but qualitative feedback from stakeholders indicated some implementation challenges. This real-world evaluation had null findings; however, post-intervention depression levels were very low in both arms (3%). Future research should examine the potential impact of women's groups on postpartum mental health more broadly with varying content.

Impact of Baseline Characteristics on the Effectiveness of Disorder-Specific Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP) and Supportive Psychotherapy in Outpatient Treatment for Persistent Depressive Disorder.

Importance: In the treatment of persistent depressive disorder (PDD), disorder-specific Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP) has been shown to be superior to Supportive Psychotherapy (SP) in outpatients. It remains to clear which subgroups of patients benefit equally and differentially from both psychotherapies.Objective: To identify those patient-level baseline characteristics that predict a comparable treatment effectiveness of CBASP and SP and those that moderate the differential effectiveness of CBASP compared to SP.Design, setting and participants: In this analysis of a 48-week multicenter randomized clinical trial comparing CBASP to SP in adult antidepressant-free outpatients with early-onset PDD, we evaluated baseline variables from the following domains as potential predictors and moderators of treatment effectiveness: socio-demography, clinical status, psychosocial and global functioning, life quality, interpersonal problems, childhood trauma, treatment history, preference for psychotherapy, and treatment expectancy.Interventions: A 48-week treatment program with 32 sessions of either CBASP or SP.Main outcomes and measures: Depression severity measured by the 24-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD-24) at week 48.Results: From N = 268 randomized outpatients, N = 209 completed the 48-week treatment program. CBASP completers had significantly lower post-treatment HRSD-24 scores than SP completers (meanCBASP=13.96, sdCBASP= 9.56; meanSP= 16.69, sdSP= 9.87; p = 0.04). A poor response to both therapies was predicted by higher baseline levels of clinician-rated depression, elevated suicidality, comorbid anxiety, lower social functioning, higher social inhibition, moderate-to-severe early emotional or sexual abuse, no preference for psychotherapy, and the history of at least one previous inpatient treatment. Moderator analyses revealed that patients with higher baseline levels of self-rated depression, comorbidity of at least one Axis-I disorder, self-reported moderate-to-severe early emotional or physical neglect, or at least one previous antidepressant treatment, had a significantly lower post-treatment depression severity with CBASP compared to SP (all p < 0.05).Conclusions and relevance: A complex multifactorial interaction between severe symptoms of depression, suicidality, and traumatic childhood experiences characterized by abuse, social inhibition, and anxiety may represent the basis of non-response to psychotherapy in patients with early onset PDD. Specific psychotherapy with CBASP might, however, be more effective and recommendable for a variety of particularly burdened patients compared to SP.

Review: Exercise for depression in children and adolescents - a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The objective of this systematic review was to examine the treatment effects of exercise on children and adolescents with depression compared to either other nonexercise treatments or no treatment. A study protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42018101982). Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), PsycINFO (Ovid), AMED (Ovid), SPORTDiscus, PEDro, CINAHL (EBSCO), ERIC (EBSCO), Web of Science, and databases for grey literature and dissertations were searched from their inception through 30 August 2020 for randomized controlled trials. Varieties of search terms for depression, children and adolescents, exercise, and study design were applied. No limits were placed on publication year, language or publication type. Registers for ongoing trials were also searched. Two authors independently screened references, extracted data and assessed risk of bias in the included trials. The effect sizes for depression postintervention were pooled in a meta-analysis, and the certainty of the evidence was assessed using GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessments, Development, and Evaluation). 13,307 references were screened. Four trials were included (n=159). Participants were between 12 and 18years old, and predominantly female. A meta-analysis with a random-effects model was performed, and a moderate effect in favour of exercise on postintervention depression severity was identified (SMD=-0.59, 95% CI=-1.08 to -0.10, p=.02). However, the overall certainty of the evidence for this outcome was low. One trial found a nonsignificant decrease in depression severity at six-month follow-up (n=42, SMD = -0.59, 95% CI = -1.22 to 0.04, p=0.07), and the overall certainty of the evidence for this outcome was very low. One trial found no statistically significant differences between the exercise and control groups on quality of life. Other outcomes, including adverse events, psychological well-being and social functioning, were not evaluated. Low certainty evidence suggests that exercise interventions may be associated with a decrease in adolescent depression severity. However, our confidence in the effect estimate is limited, and the true effect may be substantially different. Thus, large, high-quality trials including follow-up periods are needed.

REAC Neuromodulation Treatments in Depression, Anxiety and Stress. A Comparative Retrospective Study.

IntroductionThe purpose of this retrospective study was to compare the effects of two different modalities of administration of the neuro psycho physical optimization (NPPO) neuromodulation treatment, applied with radio electric asymmetric conveyer (REAC) biotechnology devices. Both the modalities are aimed at improving the strategies to deal with and optimize the allostatic response to environmental stressors and exposome. This allows to reduce the dysfunctional adaptive behavior patterns, which underlie many neuropsychological symptoms and pathologies, and to improve the symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress.Materials and MethodsFrom a population of subjects experiencing at least two of the three symptoms depression, anxiety and stress, the selection of pre and post-treatment Depression, Anxiety, Stress 21 items scale (DASS 21) data was made proceeding with a reverse chronological recruitment mechanism, until reaching 150 subjects for each of the 2 groups. The first group was treated with the neuro psycho physical optimization treatment (NPPO), which is the punctiform modality of administration on the auricle pavilion, and the second group was treated with the neuro psycho physical optimization treatment, which is the area modality of administration applied by the planar probe on the cervicobrachial area (NPPO-CB).ResultsThe Wilcoxon signs test confirmed the differences in scores in pre and post-treatment DASS-21. The comparison between the two groups data and the comparison across groups data showed that NPPO and NPPO-CB have the same efficacy in reducing the symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, after a single treatment cycle. Statistical significance was set at p <0.05.DiscussionThis is the first efficacy descriptive comparison between the two different modalities of administration of the NPPO treatment, as different options for the same clinical indication.

Selecting the optimal treatment for a depressed individual: Clinical judgment or statistical prediction?

BackgroundOptimizing treatment selection is a way to enhance treatment success in major depressive disorder (MDD). In clinical practice, treatment selection heavily depends on clinical judgment. However, research has consistently shown that statistical prediction is as accurate - or more accurate - than predictions based on clinical judgment. In the context of new technological developments, the current aim was to compare the accuracy of clinical judgment versus statistical predictions in selecting cognitive therapy (CT) or interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) for MDD. MethodsData came from a randomized trial comparing CT (n=76) with IPT (n=75) for MDD. Prior to randomization, therapists’ recommendations were formulated during multidisciplinary staff meetings. Statistical predictions were based on Personalized Advantage Index models. Primary outcomes were post-treatment and 17-month follow-up depression severity. Secondary outcome was treatment dropout. ResultsIndividuals receiving treatment according to their statistical prediction were less depressed at post-treatment and follow-up compared to those receiving their predicted non-indicated treatment. This difference was not found for recommended versus non-recommended treatments based on clinical judgment. Moreover, for individuals with an IPT recommendation by therapists, higher post-treatment and follow-up depression severity was found for those that actually received IPT compared to those that received CT. Recommendations based on statistical prediction and clinical judgment were not associated with differences in treatment dropout. LimitationsInformation on the clinical reasoning behind therapist recommendations was not collected, and statistical predictions were not externally validated. ConclusionsStatistical prediction outperforms clinical judgment in treatment selection for MDD and has the potential to personalize treatment strategies.

Effectiveness and Acceptance of Technology-Based Psychological Interventions for the Acute Treatment of Unipolar Depression: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BackgroundEvidence on technology-based psychological interventions (TBIs) for the acute treatment of depression is rapidly growing. Despite extensive research in this field, there is a lack of research determining effectiveness and acceptance of TBIs considering different application formats in people with a formally diagnosed depressive disorder.ObjectiveThe goal of the review was to investigate the effectiveness and acceptance of TBIs in people with diagnosed depression with particular focus on application formats (stand-alone interventions, blended treatments, collaborative and/or stepped care interventions).MethodsStudies investigating adults with diagnosed unipolar depressive disorders receiving any kind of psychotherapeutic treatment delivered (at least partly) by a technical medium and conducted as randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were eligible for inclusion. We searched CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials; August 2020), MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PSYNDEX, CINAHL (January 2018), clinical trial registers, and sources of grey literature (January 2019). Two independent authors decided about study inclusion and extracted data. We performed random effects meta-analyses to synthesize the data.ResultsDatabase searches resulted in 15,546 records of which 78 completed studies were included. TBIs delivered as stand-alone interventions showed positive effects on posttreatment depression severity when compared to treatment as usual (SMD –0.44, 95% CI –0.73 to –0.15, k=10; I²=86%), attention placebo (SMD –0.51, 95% CI –0.73 to –0.30; k=12; I²=66%), and waitlist controls (SMD –1.01, 95% CI –1.23 to –0.79; k=19; I²=73%). Superior long-term effects on depression severity were shown when TBIs were compared to treatment as usual (SMD –0.24, 95% CI –0.41 to –0.07; k=6; I²=48%) attention placebo (SMD –0.23, 95% CI –0.40 to –0.07; k=7; I²=21%) and waitlist controls (SMD –0.74, 95% CI –1.31 to –0.18; k=3; I²=79%). TBIs delivered as blended treatments (providing a TBI as an add-on to face-to-face treatment) yielded beneficial effects on posttreatment depression severity (SMD –0.27, 95% CI –0.48 to –0.05; k=8; I²=53%) compared to face-to-face treatments only. Additionally, TBIs delivered within collaborative care trials were more effective in reducing posttreatment (SMD –0.20, 95% CI –0.36 to –0.04; k=2; I²=0%) and long-term (SMD –0.23, 95% CI –0.39 to –0.07; k=2; I²=0%) depression severity than usual care. Dropout rates did not differ between the intervention and control groups in any comparison (all P≥.09).ConclusionsWe found that TBIs are effective not only when delivered as stand-alone interventions but also when they are delivered as blended treatments or in collaborative care trials for people with diagnosed depression. Our results may be useful to inform routine care, since we focused specifically on different application formats, formally diagnosed patients, and the long-term effectiveness of TBIs.Trial RegistrationPROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews CRD42016050413; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42016050413International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)RR2-10.1136/bmjopen-2018-028042

Cross-trial prediction in psychotherapy: External validation of the Personalized Advantage Index using machine learning in two Dutch randomized trials comparing CBT versus IPT for depression

Objective: Optimizing treatment selection may improve treatment outcomes in depression. A promising approach is the Personalized Advantage Index (PAI), which predicts the optimal treatment for a given individual. To determine the generalizability of the PAI, models needs to be externally validated, which has rarely been done. Method: PAI models were developed within each of two independent trials, with substantial between-study differences, that both compared CBT and IPT for depression (STEPd: n = 151 and FreqMech: n = 200). Subsequently, both PAI models were tested in the other dataset. Results: In the STEPd study, post-treatment depression was significantly different between individuals assigned to their PAI-indicated treatment versus those assigned to their non-indicated treatment (d = .57). In the FreqMech study, post-treatment depression was not significantly different between patients receiving their indicated treatment versus those receiving their non-indicated treatment (d = .20). Cross-trial predictions indicated that post-treatment depression was not significantly different between those receiving their indicated treatment and those receiving their non-indicated treatment (d = .16 and d = .27). Sensitivity analyses indicated that cross-trial prediction based on only overlapping variables didn’t improve the results. Conclusion: External validation of the PAI has modest results and emphasizes between-study differences and many other challenges.

Overcoming a Poor Early Response with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Skills

Early response to treatment is a robust predictor of outcome in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for depression. When clients show a poor early response, therapists may understandably be concerned. We examine how early CBT skill development might be used to help inform therapists about patients’ prognoses in such circumstances. In a sample of 95 clients participating in CBT for depression, we examine the role of the development of CBT skills by asking whether a client’s prognosis depends not only on early response, but on its interaction with CBT skill development. We found support for the hypothesized interaction in predicting posttreatment depression and anxiety symptoms. For those who experienced modest early CBT skill improvements, early symptom improvement was strongly predictive of posttreatment outcome. However, for those who experienced more substantial early CBT skill improvements, early symptom change was not as strongly related to their posttreatment symptoms. Our findings extend the literature on early response predicting outcome by showing that when clients experience more limited early symptom change, outcome depends considerably on the degree to which they are learning CBT skills. For clients with greater CBT skill improvements, a relatively positive treatment outcome is still common.

Effectiveness of Mindfulness Life Intervention on Depression among Elderly Persons in a Selected Old Age Home of Pune City

Background- Sadness, feeling down, having a loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities - these are symptoms familiar to all of us. But, if they persist and affect our life substantially, it may be depression. Studies on the elderly population, either in the community, inpatient, outpatient and old age homes have shown that depression is the commonest mental illness in elderly subjects. Prevalence rate of major depression in India amongst the elderly was 31.2 per 1000. Objectives- 1) To determine the level of depression among elderly persons at selected old age home in Pune. 2) To determine the level of depression post intervention among elderly persons at selected old age home in Pune city. 3) To evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness life intervention on the level of depression among elderly persons at selected old age home of Pune city. 4) To find the association between post-test depression level and selected demographic variables. Methodology A descriptive and a pre-experimental one group pre-test and post-test research design was adopted for this study. A non-probability purposive sampling technique was used to fetch a sample of 60. A modified geriatric depression scale (short form) was used to identify the depression in elderly persons of old age home. The reliability of Modified geriatric depression scale was found to be 0.92 by using Pearson’s co relation coefficient test. Results- out of 60 subjects, in pre-test, majority of 96.7% of the elderly persons from old age home had depression and 3.3% of them were normal. In post-test majority of 78.3% of the elderly persons from old age home had depression and 21.7% of them were normal. Average depression score in pre-test was 8.7 which reduced to 5.6 in post-test. T-value for this test was 10.6 with 59 degrees of freedom. Corresponding p-value was 0.000 which is small (less than 0.05). This indicates that depression of the elderly persons reduced remarkably after using mindfulness life intervention. Conclusion- This study concludes that mindfulness life interventions are effective in reducing depression of the elderly persons.